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Simplify Building (Data Management) (ArcInfo only)
Release 9.2 Last modified November 29, 2010	Print all topics in : "Tools"

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Simplifies the boundary or footprint of building polygons while maintaining their essential shape and size.

Learn more about how Simplify Building works

Illustration

Usage tips

The output feature class will carry all the input fields.
The output feature class will contain two new fields: BLD_STATUS and BLD_GROUP. The BLD_STATUS records the following simplification status:
- Simplified single building, status value = 1
- A short side found in the resulting building, status value = 3
- Simplified or partially simplified buildings connected with straight lines, status value = 4
- Not simplified, status value = 5
The BLD_GROUP stores a unique positive value for each group of connected buildings. A single building will receive a BLD_GROUP value of 0. A single building with a hole will receive a unique negative value.
If the option to Check for spatial conflicts is checked or the CHECK_CONFLICTS option is used, the tool will detect spatial conflicts and add another new field, SimBldFlag, to store conflict flags: a value of 0 for no conflict and 1 for conflict.
Learn more about spatial reference and geoprocessing
The following environment settings affect this tool: XY tolerance, Extent, M domain, Coordinate system, Output has M values, Output has Z values, Default Z value, Output XY domain, workspace, and scratch workspace.

Command line syntax
An overview of the Command Line window
SimplifyBuilding_management <in_features> <out_feature_class> <simplification_tolerance> {minimum_area} {NO_CHECK | CHECK_CONFLICTS}

Parameter	Explanation	Data Type
<in_features>	The building polygons to be simplified.	Feature Layer
<out_feature_class>	The output feature class to be created.	Feature Class
<simplification_tolerance>	Sets the tolerance for building simplification. A tolerance must be specified, and it must be greater than zero. You can specify a preferred unit; the default is the feature unit.	Linear unit
{minimum_area}	Sets the minimum area for a simplified building to be retained in feature units. The default value is zero, that is, to keep all buildings. You can specify a preferred unit; the default is the feature unit.	Areal unit
{NO_CHECK \| CHECK_CONFLICTS}	Specifies whether or not to check for potential conflicts, that is, overlapping or touching, among buildings. NO_CHECK — Specifies not to check for potential conflicts; the resulting buildings may overlap. This is the default. CHECK_CONFLICTS — Specifies to check for potential conflicts; the conflicting buildings will be flagged.	Boolean

Data types for geoprocessing tool parameters

Command line example

simplifybuilding c:\workspace.mdb\bldgs c:\workspace.mdb\new_bldgs 10 0 CHECK_CONFLICT

Scripting syntax
About getting started with writing geoprocessing scripts
SimplifyBuilding_management (in_features, out_feature_class, simplification_tolerance, minimum_area, conflict_option)

Parameter	Explanation	Data Type
in_features (Required)	The building polygons to be simplified.	Feature Layer
out_feature_class (Required)	The output feature class to be created.	Feature Class
simplification_tolerance (Required)	Sets the tolerance for building simplification. A tolerance must be specified, and it must be greater than zero. You can specify a preferred unit; the default is the feature unit.	Linear unit
minimum_area (Optional)	Sets the minimum area for a simplified building to be retained in feature units. The default value is zero, that is, to keep all buildings. You can specify a preferred unit; the default is the feature unit.	Areal unit
conflict_option (Optional)	Specifies whether or not to check for potential conflicts, that is, overlapping or touching, among buildings. NO_CHECK — Specifies not to check for potential conflicts; the resulting buildings may overlap. This is the default. CHECK_CONFLICTS — Specifies to check for potential conflicts; the conflicting buildings will be flagged.	Boolean

Data types for geoprocessing tool parameters

Script example

import arcgisscripting
gp = arcgisscripting.create()

gp.workspace = "c:/Workspace"
gp.toolbox = "management"
gp.simplifybuilding( "bldgs", "new_bldgs", "10", "100")

Simplify Building (Data Management) (ArcInfo only)

Command line example

Script example